# Cab drivers challenge Maharashtra Marathi rule in HC 2026-08-25T12:54:10+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Four app-based cab drivers have approached the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government's decision to make working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers. The petition, filed through advocate Vivek Shukla, is expected to be mentioned before the Chief Justice on August 26, with the drivers seeking an immediate stay on the government notification issued on August 12. The petitioners argue that the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 does not prescribe language proficiency for driving licences or permits, and that the requirement violates fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. Nearly 9.65 lakh auto and taxi permits have been issued in Maharashtra, and the drivers say implementation could threaten livelihoods, especially for poor and migrant workers. The August 12 notification empowers transport authorities to suspend licences for three months and cancel permits for non-compliance. The drivers have cited a March 2017 Bombay High Court judgment that struck down a similar 2016 circular requiring Marathi proficiency for autorickshaw permits. Separately, since August 20, transport officials have assessed 5,211 drivers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with 722 found unable to speak Marathi and issued notices. Auto drivers began a three-day strike on August 21 opposing the rule. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Livemint and Deccan Chronicle frame the petition as a constitutional rights challenge, foregrounding the legal argument and the 2017 precedent. The Times of India leads instead on Sonam Kapoor's one-word reaction and the strike, giving the policy debate secondary treatment. Neither source defends or attacks the government. The coverage is straight reporting across all three, but Livemint and Deccan Chronicle provide the most useful legal detail. The High Court hearing on August 26 will decide whether the notification is stayed. ## Coverage Coverage: 3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist - livemint.com (neutral report) Leads with the legal challenge and drivers' livelihood argument - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (sensationalist) Leads with Sonam Kapoor's reaction before the policy details - deccanchronicle.com (neutral report) Leads with the constitutional challenge and cites the 2017 precedent This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources. Last updated 2026-08-25T15:22:47+00:00. Tags: Bombay High Court, Maharashtra, Marathi, Motor Vehicles Act, Mumbai, Sonam Kapoor Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-to-hear-challenge-to-mandatory-marathi-rule-for-drivers/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-to-hear-challenge-to-mandatory-marathi-rule-for-drivers/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/